Pepper Jelly: How to Make Your Own Homemade Pepper Jelly (canned, complete directions with photos)

How to Make Homemade Pepper Jelly, Hot or sweet,
including chilies, jalapeno, and pimiento

It's
not hard to make your own jalapeno pepper jelly, and can it so you can give it
away or store it on the shelf for the winter! And unlike canned peppers, you can
use an ordinary water bath canner. So, here's how to can pepper jelly! The
directions are complete with instructions in easy steps and completely
illustrated. In the winter when you open a jar, the pepper jelly will taste MUCH
better than any store-bought jalapeno jelly.

Prepared this way, the jars have a shelf life of about 12 months, and aside
from storing in a cool, dark place, require no special attention.

Ball jars (Publix, Kroger, other grocery stores and some "big box"
stores carry them - about $7 per dozen 8 oz jars including the lids and
rings)

1 Water bath Canner (a huge pot to sanitize the jars after
filling (about $30 to $35 - $30 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box"
stores. Note: we sell many sizes and types of canners for all types of
stoves and needs - see canning
supplies). Tomatoes are on the border between the high-acid fruits
that can be preserved in a boiling-water bath and the low-acid fruits,
vegetables and meats that need pressure canning

One 6 - 8 quart pot or saucepan

Recipe and Directions

Step 1 - Selecting the peppers

The most important step! You need peppers that are FRESH and
crisp. Limp, old peppers will make nasty tasting jalapeno jelly.
Guests will probably throw them at you. Select filled but tender, firm,
crisp peppers. Remove and discard any soft, diseased, spotted and rusty
pods. Select small peppers, preferably 1 inch to 1 and 1/4-inch in diameter.
Larger peppers are often too fibrous and tough.

You can use jalapeno, chili or any peppers you like!

Hot pepper
caution: Wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch your face while
handling or cutting hot peppers. If you do not wear gloves, wash hands
thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes. Hot
peppers can burn your eyes and skin - ever heard of pepper spray?

How many peppers and where to get them

You can grow your own, pick your own, or buy them at the grocery store.
An average of 1 pound is needed per batch of 5 jars (8 oz each). For
reference, a bushel of peppers weighs 25 pounds.

Step 2 - Prepare the jars and pressure canner

Wash
the jars and lids

This is a good time to get the jars ready! The dishwasher is fine for
the jars; especially if it has a "sanitize" cycle. Otherwise put the jars
in boiling water for 10 minutes. I just put the lids in a small pot of
almost boiling water for 5 minutes, and use the magnetic "lid lifter wand"
(available from target, other big box stores, and often grocery stores;
and available online - see this page) to pull them out.

Get the water bath canner heating up

Rinse out your canner, fill it with hot tap water and put it on the
stove on low heat (for now) so it will be ready (but not boiled away) by
the time you are ready for it later.

Step 3 -Wash the peppers!

I'm sure you can figure out how to rinse the peppers in
plain cold or lukewarm water.

Step 4 - Remove stems and seeds

Cut off the stems (left) and scrape out the seeds.

Step 5 - Puree the peppers in a blender

Pop
the peppers into a blender or food processor and puree them. You
may need to add 1 cup of the vinegar now to get the blender to work
properly with them!

Step 6 - Measure out the sweetener

Depending
upon which type of jelly you're making (sugar, no-sugar, Stevia (but you will have to experiment with amount, each brand of Stevia is a different concetration), or Splenda, or a mix of sugar and Stevia (or Splenda) or fruit juice) you will need to use a different
amount of sugar and type of pectin. The precise measurements are found
in each and every box of pectin sold. It is easiest to use a no-sugar
needed pectin, because you can always use as much sugar or sweetener as
you want then.

NOTE: To get best results (a
firm jelly) - I highly recommend using a no-sugar pectin AND sugar.
Pomona pectin is particularly good for this

Type of jam

Type of pectin to buy

Sweetener

regular

no-sugar or regular

6 cups of sugar

low sugar

no-sugar

4.5 cups of sugar

lower sugar

no-sugar

2 cups sugar and 2 cups Splenda (or about 1/3 that if you use Stevia, which is my preference)

no sugar

no-sugar

4 cups Splenda (or about 1/3 that if you use Stevia, which is my preference)

Nutrasweet (aspartame) will NOT work - it breaks down during
heating).

Stevia sustitutes 1 to 3 with sugar and if you prefer, Splenda (sucralose) substitutes exactly with sugar. BUT even the
manufacturers of Splenda will tell you that you get best results if
you just use a 50-50 mix; half regular sugar and half Stevia or
Splenda.

Sugar not only affects the sweetness, but also the color and
flavor. It does not affect the preserving or spoilage properties -
that has to do with acid and the processing method.

you can use "no sugar" pectin in place of "low sugar" pectin -
you can still add sugar or other sweeteners.

Honey or agave may be used - 75% of the sugar amount (use 3/4
cup for each 1 cup of sugar)

Step 7 - Mix the pectin and some sugar / sweetener

Mix the 2.5 (two and a half) packets of dry pectin (1 packet is
equal to 3 Tablespoons of pectin) with about
1/2 cup of sugar or other sweetener
and set aside.

Step 8 - Cook the peppers, vinegar and sugar / sweetener

Combine the pepper puree, the remaining apple cider
vinegar and the remaining sweetener in a pot and heat to a boil over
medium heat, while stirring periodically, to prevent burning. Boil for
10 minutes, continuing to stir as needed to prevent burning.

Note: The recipes that were first developed and tested (in labs) used
vinegar. The commonly used acids in home canning are vinegar, lemon and
lime juice. Lemon and lime juices are more acidic than vinegar, but have
less effect on flavor. Consequently, you may safely substitute an equal
amount of lemon juice for vinegar in recipes using vinegar.

Step 9 - Add the pectin and boil hard for one minute

After boiling for 10 minutes, add the pectin from step 7, return the
mix to a boil and then boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Step 10 - Skim any excessive foam

Foam... What is it? Just jam with a lot of air from the boiling.
But it tastes more like, well, foam, that jam, so most people remove it.
It is harmless, though. Some people add 1 teaspoon of butter or
margarine to the mix in step 6 to reduce foaming, but food experts
debate whether that may contribute to earlier spoilage, so I usually
omit it and skim.

Step 11 - Testing for "jell" (thickness)

I keep a metal tablespoon sitting in a glass of ice water, then take
a half spoonful of the mix and let it cool to room temperature on the
spoon. If it thickens up to the consistency I like, then I know the jam
is ready. If not, I mix in a little more pectin (about 1/3 to 1/2 of
another package) and bring it to a boil again for 1 minute. Get a
few jars out of the dishwasher (still hot) and get your funnel, lid
lifter and ladle ready. I put an old towel down - it makes clean
up easier.

Step 12 - Fill the jars and put the lid and rings on

Fill them to within 1/4-inch of the top, wipe any spilled jam off the
top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them.

Put the lids on each jar and seal them by putting a ring on and
screwing it down snugly (but not with all your might, just "snug").
(Yes, that is a photo of pickled peppers - my photos of the next 2 steps
didn't turn out! :)

This
is where the jar tongs and lid lifter come in really handy!

Step
13 - Process the jars in the boiling water bath

Keep the jars covered with at least 2 inches of water. Keep the water
boiling. In general, boil them for 10 minutes. I say "in general"
because you have to process (boil) them longer at higher altitudes than
sea level, or if you use larger jars, or if you did not
sanitize
the jars and lids right before using them. The directions inside
every box of pectin will tell you exactly. The directions on the
pectin tend to be pretty conservative. Clemson University says you
only need to process them for 10 minutes. I usually hedge my bets
and start pulling them out after 10 minutes, and the last jars were
probably in for 12. I rarely have a jar spoil, so it must work.

Note: Some people don't even boil the jars; they just
ladle it hot into hot jars, but putting the jars in the boiling water
bath REALLY helps to reduce spoilage! To me, it makes little sense to
put all the working into making the jam and then not to process the jars
to be sure they don't spoil!

Step 14 - Remove and cool the jars - Done!

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or
bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can
then remove the rings if you like, but if you leave them on, at least
loosen them quite a bit, so they don't rust in place due to trapped
moisture. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed
verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center,
gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping
sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right
away, you can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess
the jar, then that's a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up,
re-jar them (with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it's
usually ok.

Once cooled, they're
ready to store. I find they last about 18 months. After that, the get
darker in color and start to get runny. They still seem safe to eat, but
the flavor is bland. So eat them in the first 12 to 18 months after you
prepare them!

Other Equipment:

From left to right:

Jar lifting tongs
helpful to pick up hot jars

Lid lifter - to remove lids from the pot
of hot water

Lid - disposable - you may only use them
once

Ring - holds the lids on the jar until after
the jars cool - then you don't need them

Canning jar funnel - to fill the jars

Feedback, Comments and Frequently Asked Questions

A visitor writes on July 23, 2013: "My jalapeno jam has
tiny bubbles covering the top of it. Is it safe to eat?"

Definitely! Tiny
bubbles are normal!

A visitor writes on August 14, 2013: "Why did the pulp
rise to the top in my jalapeno jelly after it cooled in the jars
after canning?"

Definitely! That's common with many home canned products, due to entrained air and the difference in density between the pulp and the solution around it. Commercial manufacturers/canners get around this by adding flocculants and other chemical additives. Most home canners prefer to simply stir the contents after opening!

Comments from a visitor on August 27, 2012: "This e-mail is to THANK YOU for the
perfect recipe for jalapeno pepper jelly. I have tried other recipes and failed,
now I know why!!!!!!! the instructions were not as detailed as you have them,
Thanks again, oh and by the way, my jelly is perfectly set. I made it this
morning and it is great, Sincerely,Rhena. Your website is in my Favorites"

Pressure canners!

Not Necessary for Pepper jelly

If you want to can low-acid foods such as red meats, sea food, poultry,
milk, and all fresh vegetables with the exception of most tomatoes,
jams, jellies and pickled vegetables, you will need a pressure
canner. These foods fit into the low acid group since they
have an acidity, or pH level, of 4.6 or greater. The temperature which
must be reached and maintained (for a specified amount of time) to kill
the bacteria is 240 F. Pressure canning is the only canning method
recommended safe by the U.S.D.A. for low-acid foods such as vegetables,
meats, and fish. Ordinary water bath canners can only reach 212 F and cannot to kill the types of bacteria that will grow in low acid foods. This
temperature can be reached only by creating steam under pressure as
achieved in quality pressure canners.

There are several manufacturers of pressure canners. The two
leading ones are Presto and All American (Wisconsin Aluminum). They are more
expensive than water bath canners, but extremely well built - I bought mine
in 1988 and it still looks and works like new!

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